Solid-state imaging apparatus for imaging an object by receiving light from the object are known in the related art. An image sensor forming a part of such a solid-state imaging apparatus has a rectangular light-receiving region, and a light beam entering the image sensor from a lens is projected on a surface of the image sensor in the form of a circular spot including the rectangular light-receiving region.
The light impinges also on external connection terminals disposed around the light-receiving region of the image sensor, and the light further impinges on bonding wires for leading out signals from the external connection terminals. As a result, the light can be reflected by the bonding wires to enter the light-receiving region, and an image obtained by the image sensor may consequently have flare or ghosts which can degrade the quality of the image.
As a result of the recent trend toward smaller image sensor chips, light beams can reach components which are surface-mounted around an image sensor chip. Electrodes of such surface mount components have high reflectance because they are formed by a solder material such as Sn, Ag, or Cu or a conductive adhesive containing conductive particles such as Ag, and flare and ghosts can be generated also as a result of reflection of light at the regions of such electrodes, which also degrades image quality.
Under the circumstance, it is a common practice to prevent unwanted light beams from entering a light-receiving region of an image sensor by disposing a shield member above the light-receiving region. However, according to such a method, it is difficult to suppress flare and ghosts effectively because the shield member and the light-receiving region of the image sensor must be precisely aligned with each other.
Another proposed technique is to prevent stray light by sealing bonding wires for connecting an image sensor and a substrate using a molding material along with cut surfaces of the chip (side surfaces) (See Patent Document 1 (JP-A-63-273353)).